A nurse is caring for a client who is dying of metastatic breast cancer. She has a prescription for an opioid pain medication PRN. The nurse is concerned that administering a dose of pain medication might hasten the client's death. Which of the following ethical principles should the nurse use to support the decision not to administer the medication?

A. Pain: The client's flinching when the nurse palpates his abdomen suggests that he may be experiencing pain. Pain can cause behavioral changes in older adults, including withdrawal, decreased verbal communication, and altered facial expressions. The client's inability to verbally communicate but ability to nod and smile in response to questions further supports the possibility of pain affecting his behavior.
B. Confusion: While confusion could be a factor contributing to the client's behavior, the flinching in response to palpation of the abdomen indicates a physical discomfort that is more indicative of pain rather than solely confusion.
C. Language barrier: A language barrier might impede effective communication, but it does not directly explain the client's flinching in response to abdominal palpation. Additionally, the client's ability to nod and smile suggests some level of understanding and communication, albeit limited.
D. Difficulty hearing: Difficulty hearing could affect the client's ability to respond to verbal cues, but it does not explain the physical response of flinching when his abdomen is palpated. The client's non-verbal responses also indicate some level of hearing or understanding of communication.

A. Clubbing of the fingers: Clubbing of the fingers is a common finding in clients with advanced emphysema. It is characterized by bulbous enlargement of the fingertips and nail changes, including increased curvature and softening of the nail beds. Clubbing results from chronic hypoxia and tissue oxygen deprivation, which leads to vascular changes and tissue proliferation in the fingertips.
B. Deep respirations: Deep respirations are not typically associated with emphysema. Instead, clients with emphysema often exhibit shallow, rapid respirations due to decreased lung elasticity and air trapping, which impair effective ventilation. As a compensatory mechanism, clients may adopt a pursed-lip breathing pattern to facilitate expiration and reduce airway collapse.
C. Bradycardia: Bradycardia is not a characteristic finding in clients with emphysema. Instead, clients with emphysema commonly experience tachycardia, which is a compensatory response to hypoxia and increased work of breathing. Tachycardia helps maintain cardiac output and tissue perfusion in the setting of impaired gas exchange.
D. Barrel chest: Barrel chest is a classic physical finding in clients with emphysema. It results from hyperinflation of the lungs and loss of lung elasticity, leading to a permanent increase in the anteroposterior diameter of the chest. This change in chest shape contributes to the characteristic appearance of a rounded, barrel-like chest.
E. Dyspnea: Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is a hallmark symptom of emphysema. Clients with emphysema often experience dyspnea, especially with exertion, due to air trapping, decreased lung function, and impaired gas exchange. Dyspnea can significantly impact the client's quality of life and functional status, requiring careful management and symptom relief interventions.